Alps 2018

Posted on March 5, 2019 by yellowvanmountaineering

Finally getting around to updating the blog….

Over the summer, we headed to the Alps. Dave headed up some peaks, while Jo did some lower level walking, cable car riding and intensive resting in the campsite. It was the first time we’d taken the van to the Alps in summer since the rather soggy Saas trip of 2014, and we were relieved that this one didn’t follow suit (although our expectations have probably evolved somewhat in the intervening years).

We were based initially in Bormio, Italy, where summits reached included Monte Cevedale and Punta San Matteo. We also drove up and down the Stelvio Pass a silly number of times, explored the WW2 front line, and can highly recommend the pizza and gelato at the campsite.

We then transferred over the border to Morteratsch near Pontresina in the Engadine, Switzerland. The highlight from here was Piz Palu (just sub-4000m), and we also made friends with the marmots around Piz Languard, were introduced to Megacremeschnitte (Dave promised to recreate these at home, but for some reason hasn’t got round to it yet) and did some valley climbing.

A mainly (upward) traversing warm-up walk from Bormio 2000 lift station

Valle di Sobretta

Back in the high alps

Refugio

Monte Cevedale

Alpine start views

From Cevedale, looking back towards Gran Zebru

Approaching the summit

From Monte Cevedale, first look at the ridge to come

It was a straightforward (but rarely done) ridge across over Monte Rosole to Palon de la Mare

Looking back over Monte Rosole to Monte Cevedale

Palon de la mare summit

Views across the Ghiacciaio dei Forni

Descending the interesting glacier to finish our one way alpine day with minimal guidebook instruction – success!

Meanwhile, Jo went for a wander up the valley and round some alpine forests

Only got a bit lost with Italian maps and their lack of resemblance to reality

A mainly (downward) traversing walk taking in Monte Scorluzzo. Leaving the ski areas behind

Views from Monte Scorluzzo 1

Views from Monte Scorluzzo 2 (and the ridge ahead)

Views from Monte Scorluzzo 3

Down scrambling (don’t think this is in any list of approved pregnancy activities, oh well)

Filone del Mot, a most enjoyable ridge

Military village

The van got a flat tyre. There was a garage at the bottom of the campsite hill. The other residents were bemused

A one day attempt on a peak (Punta San Matteo)

First issue – river crossing. It’s not meant to rain later is it?

Summit reached, just as the snow starts

Descending the narrow ridge with care, before a snow/hail storm with lightening too close for comfort engulfs us. Some inspired navigation meant that only a few feet went into crevasses and we appeared at the bottom of the glacier wet but safe.

Starting to dry out, having had an ‘interesting’ river crossing

Sunshine meant I had dried out by the end of the walk, despite not having waterproofs….

A misty Piz Languard

Clearing up on the descent

Marmots!

Wandering around Alp Languard

Megacremeschnitte!

Evening view of Piz Palu and friends from the Diavolezza hut/hotel (the others having gone to bed while it was all still cloud-covered)

Piz Palu has one of the more crevasses and serac-y glaciers I’ve travelled across

Tricky finding the right path through the seracs, but great views

Exciting, but the glacier thoughtfully had easier points around every hour to allow for short breaks.

Zig zagging through the many massive crevasses that protect the col

Simon emerging from a successful Bergschund crossing

We had managed to stay near the front of all the groups on the mountain, giving us relative quiet.

The summit! Only stayed here for seconds as we needed to get down the narrow summit ridge before other parties came up – passing places didn’t exist

Just starting the narrowest section.

An attempt to give a sense of the narrowness and exposure – the right hand snow field dropped away steeply for many hundreds of metres

Picture of the summit of Piz Palu. Some Swiss mountaineers assumed we hadn’t done this as we didn’t have a guide…

Surveying the slighly less narrow, but still interesting section

Waiting at a passing place

Off down the glacier again

Soon after this photo, we took a ‘short cut’ and ended up lowering/downclimbing into/across crevasses. Fun was not had by all during this.

A look at Piz Palu, with the three summits. One of the best glacier/snow alpine days.

Piz Palu at breakfast time (there might be some specks on the summit…)

View from Sass Queder (waiting for the mountaineers to return)

On the way to some crags below the Morteratsch glacier

Valley climbing

Friendly dog wants porridge

Mainly (downward) traversing walk from the Julierpass to St Moritz

St Moritzersee

Oeztal Ski Tour

Posted on April 25, 2018 by yellowvanmountaineering

We (or rather our friends who we piggybacked on) had planned a tight schedule, meaning we packed light, with few clothes other than those needed for a 6 day hut to hut trip. Unfortunately weather and snow conditions meant drastic changes were needed to the schedule, but at least this meant we got our flight home.

Everything was going well until Luton Airport, where our flight was delayed. Once in Munich the car hire had partially closed and we ended up with a smaller car. Finally with everything crammed in, we tried to exit the car park. After causing chaos by failing to get the barriers open, trying a second barrier and manoeuvring a full, new and unfamiliar car around the other impatient drivers we found we needed a ticket that the hire desk had forgotten to give us…

Getting to our accommodation at around 3.30, we crashed into bed, but not before reading a message from Simon saying the forecast meant a 7am breakfast. Urgh.
A sleepy breakfast followed and we crammed back into the car to travel to Vent to start the tour. Having managed to squeeze in a repack and shower while Simon and Jane caught the bus, the four of us assumed we were way behind and would find them waiting for us in the car park in Vent. As we approached Vent, a friendly man had to open a snow gate for us to pass into the village. Parking the car (and unsticking it from the snow, and re-parking it somewhere else) took some time, but eventually we learnt that the bus had stopped running, the road was closed – we had been one of the last cars through – and Simon and Jane were on the other side.

Much deliberation followed, and with an awful forecast for the next day, combined with the prospect of Simon and Jane having to return home, we failed to commit to the walk to the hut early enough and decided to reunite everyone and try again the following day. However, we were, for now, stuck in Vent so we went for a quick skinning and skiing practice around the local area, before waiting (first in line) for the snow gates to open again and let us back down.

We were exceptionally lucky to find last-minute accommodation over the Easter weekend (at the same place as our initial night), where cheap good food was also available for dinner. The next day was a washout, so we skied on piste at a small resort (Hochoetz), struggling to see much more than a few metres ahead.

With the forecast showing slowly improving weather, we decided to head into the Vernagt Hut for 3 nights. This meant no hut to hut touring, but made the best of the 4 days we had left.

A quick skin up the track, and we were soon ready to head up the side glen towards the hut, which went on forever. Next, the guidebook mentioned something about being next to cables. Given the wind-scoured hard snow, we proceeded with caution to be met with a howling gale, spindrift, steep slopes and some interesting drops that really needed avoided. After this awkward descending traverse (with some cables to trip over), we recommenced the plod to the hut in winds that covered our tracks as soon as we made them. After a while, I decided that despite my re-found love of trailblazing, I couldn’t break trail all the way to the hut and dropped to the back. This was just as well, as it put me in prime position to see a gust of wind catch Bethan and Jo out and knock them flying cartoon style down the hill.

The Vernagt hut is a DAV hut, which was quiet despite being Easter weekend (almost empty when we left on the Wednesday). It had very attentive hosts, piles of pasta, enormous strudels and great march tea. It also had hot running water and the possibility of a shower. However, it lacked hut slippers.

Our first day tour from the hut took us up over the Brochkogeljoch and round to the Wildspitze. With masses of teams coming from at least 3 different directions, it was an impressive line up to the summit. With cloud being blown across the summit in the winds, and a slightly suspect slope to descend back to the hut, we made a decision to turn around at the ski depot. With hindsight, the slope was fine, but it was too late by then.

The second day tour led us up the Fluchtkogel, which gave a wonderful skin up the glacier, and a windy summit on skis. The first wind-scoured slopes were like a well-groomed piste, and having checked out the snow on the way up, I was excited for the powder down from the col. My excitement soon ended as I crashed out on the first turn having completely misjudged the snow – it was heavy, with a slight crust under the surface. Once I had found my ski again, the ski back to the hut was entertaining, with various levels of inability to turn in crusty snow. The one good patch was slightly spoiled for me as I was out first in low light levels and wobbled about everywhere as rolling bumps came out of nowhere.

The final day came, and we decided to hot-foot it out of the area to ensure we got past any potential road closures – getting caught the wrong side of the avalanche barriers would have meant a missed flight. An icy descent followed, with a storm brewing above us. Driving down the road, it was clear they had been blasting recently – massive 3-4 m avalanche debris had been cleared from the road, with many small trees caught up in it. We had a couple of walks around towns before getting on the flight home, including Mittenwald – slightly dubious as we drove in past the military base, but actually a wonderfully painted town centre with exceptional ice cream.

Although another ski tour that didn’t go to plan, it was a fantastic week out in Austria.

Skinning up the path to have a look at avalanchy slopes

Fun, despite the drastic changes to the plan

Skiing and transition practice, while Jo sleeps at the bottom…

A brief view while piste skiing in Hochoetz

The team, looking surprising cheerful about another flat light run. (Actually we were heading for lunch…)

A quick road walk to start off the trip

Fast paced skin along the track.

Looking back down towards Vent

Note the quick change in layers as we sort ourselves out for following a chained pathway on skis

A long plod towards the hut

We never tried the worst noodles

Excited to get off for a day out

Up the moraine, then branching out across the glacier

Delightful expanse and views

Great kick turn practice up to the Brochkogeljoch

First sight of the hoards

View from the ski depot

Dave enjoying the steeper section

Surveying the run out

Final turns to the hut

Fluchtkogel here we come

Wind-scoured final slope

We pop over the col to find yet another massive expanse of glacial plateau

Summit to be pleased about

Looking down towards the Brandenburghutte – sadly not open for a lunch stop

Dave enjoying the piste-like conditions off the top.

CUHWC Winter Skills 2018

Posted on March 29, 2018 by yellowvanmountaineering

So once again we headed to Glencoe, this time to meet up with 4 current CUHWC members who had agreed to let Dave lead a winter skills course.

The 4 (Sarah, Bronwen, Chris and Simon) had been out the day before, and had some experience between them, so it was an intense couple of days covering lots of skills and lots of ground to practise them on.

First up, we headed towards Buachaille Etive Beag, to run through the basic personal skills – footwork, crampons and axes. After lunch we put these into practice by walking over both Munros and taking the direct route down to the car.

The next day, we planned an ambitious ascent of Bidean Nam Bian, ascending up to Coire nan Lochan, again recapping on the personal skills, while also talking more about route choice, planning and avalanches. The ascent onto Stob Coire nan Lochan provided some slightly more interesting mixed ground and some fantastic views on top. The consensus was to head for Bidean instead of doing any more skills, so we pressed on, up an imposing looking snow arete to find Bidean was also out of the cloud when we arrived. Knowledge from a passing helpful mountaineer told us the descent into the Lost Valley was not suitable. This wasn’t much of a surprise, so we retraced our steps and descended from Stob Coire nan Lochan back to the car, managing to fit in a brief demonstration of rope work and enjoying the good slidability of the snowpack.

It was a fantastic couple of days, with great weather, surprisingly good conditions and good company. Thanks to CUHWC and the guys

Found our first snow not too far from the road

Learning to walk again

Off to find another patch of snow

How not to hold an axe

“Now trip yourselves up”

‘Self belay’

SLIDING!

Surprisingly effective snow for both sliding and stopping

Stationary practice of the self arrest position

Dave goes for a slide

Mid arrest

Head first – looking good!

Another head first

We’ll try that again

Stomping in crampons

Let’s try this for real on a hill.

The top of Stob Dubh

Found an interesting way off

Looking back at Stob Dubh and the group coming up the ridge to Stob Coire Raineach

A lovely snow ramp direct to the car

Next day – into Stob Coire nan Lochan

Starting up the ridge to the summit

Found some rocky sections

More fun

Everyone (except photographer) on Stob Coire nan Lochan

The ridge to Bidean was too nice to miss out on

Taking care on the exposed slope

From Stob Coire nan Lochan, looking north to Glencoe and the Aonach Eagach

Good cornice avoiding on the way down

Final romp down the glen.

for a great weekend, I hope they all continue to enjoy the winter mountains.

Proper Scottish Winter

Posted on March 27, 2018 by yellowvanmountaineering

In February, Jo took a couple of days of work and we zoomed up to the Glencoe area to see if winter was still around. It was.

Stayed in the van, but with the luxury of campsite showers and ‘shore power’ for the heater. Van living, combined with 4 consecutive quality winter mountain days out and a trip to the Clachaig made us feel a bit closer to being real Scottish mountaineers.

Victoria Bridge, setting off into a typical Scottish day

Slogging up to the ‘other’ Aonoch Eagach (on Stob Ghabhar) – we found snow!

Great ridge in a bit of sun

Looking NE out to Rannoch Moor

Approaching the interesting section

Stob Ghabhar looking rather fine

Aonach Eagach (a dog followed us along here, with owner)

Dave in mountains

It then got windy, cloud rolled in and we didn’t see anything as we summitted. After a bit of compass work, we were back on the ridge, descending this time.

Dave wondering if this slope is a) the correct way and b) safe

Dave lolloping down the deep snow

Once again, the weather turned as we climbed up Stob a’ Choire Odhair, so no photos. This is Dave again playing in the snow as we descended off Beinn Toaig towards the van

Another day, another slog up a hill to start.

Steep initial climb up above Ballachulish

Warm enough for base layers, and getting higher

Great views over Loch Leven.

Onto the NE ridge of Sgurr Dheag. Lots of parties attempting the East ridge, but few made it.

Loch Leven, the Pap and the Mamores

Good winter conditions

More fantastic views

Approaching the final ridge to Sgorr Dhearg.

Again, the cloud came in, and after some compass work we descended to the col, in high winds. We decided to give Sgorr Dhonuill a shot

Again, pretty windy and cloudy, which made the top exposed section interesting, but no photos until we were descending into the forest

Snow down to the sea today, so we ploughed our way into Coire nan Lochan. The path is in the photo on the right.

Dave deep in snow, thankful for not being the first person.

Having decided the snow was too deep for climbing, we took all of our gear on a jolly trip around the top of the coire, via Stob Coire nan Lochan

Dave being silly on the way down. He then had to try to be sensible to navigate down from the ridge to the path in low vis.

Our final day, on Buachaille Etive Beag. Dave got up early to allow him to break trail all the way.

On the ridge out towards Stob Dubh

After floundering in a cornice in high winds, we turned back around 200m from the summit.

By which point our footprints had filled in so we could break trail all the way back to the bealach

Finally, a summit (Stob Coire Raineach) with views – after good conditions all week, this was a blue sky and sunshine day to top it off.

Views of Stob Coire Sgreamhach

More of the same

Back down the ridge, wondering what the massive crowd is doing at the bealach

Decided to run off the side in the lovely powder, and also avoid the big group

Final few km back to the van. Amazing weather.

Swiss Christmas

Posted on January 23, 2018 by yellowvanmountaineering

Breaking with tradition, this year we took the van to the Alps over Christmas and New Year. This was somewhat experimental and I won’t pretend it wasn’t all rather stressful leading up to the trip, but once we actually left things greatly improved. The outcomes: 1) We didn’t freeze to death, get stuck in the snow or get fed up of each other during the long dark evenings. 2) Fairy lights might become a permanent feature in the van. 3) We did manage three days of sunny ski touring, two days of snowshoeing, one day faffing about on snow in high winds and flat light (not sure it could really be called “skiing”), a very cold morning on piste, and several days with expat friends in and around Zurich to see in 2018 – most of which was a lot of fun. 4) We did miss Scotland and might have to go there a lot this year to make up for it. 5) We might do it again sometime…

Campsite in Davos

First morning – SNOW!

Setting off on the first day

Skinning up the road

Slow zig zag towards the summit

On the final ridge

Nearly there on the Jorihorn

A friendly wolf on the top (the owner described it as his wolf. It really enjoys snow apparently)

First tracks of the year

Starting to remember how to ski

Another early morning skin

Stafelalp (came back for coffee later)

Christmas day skinning (ridiculously warm)

Along a ridge

Cutting the corner off the ridge

Summer path was obscured

Chorbschhorn for Christmas lunch

Action shot – almost perfect tracks in perfect snow (Jo’s are far right)

Back along the ridge towards coffee

Another clear day meant another skinning session

Bit more weather around today

Ill thought out route choice meant a horizontal tootle for a bit

Bouldering interlude

Decided to go for the bigger peak -heading leftwards

Top of the Sentischhorn

Great view of lummocky snow on the next valley over

Taking the shorter route down (Davos on the left)

And slogging back to the van

A windy, poor light day on the Pischagrat

More SNOW!

Playing with snowshoes

A horse just galloped past us.

Rare-ish slow snow slide on corrugated roof

Zurich wandering

Artistic Tree

Zurichsee

Snowshoeing on Rigi

Admiring the massive contorted lakes of Switzerland

Along the ridge

The ridge had lots of up and down, some on awkward snow

More massive lakes

Sunset on top of Rigi

Looking West (Jo’s PhD field area is just over the two rocky peaks in the middle)

Looking SW (ridge we walked along in the foreground)

Looking S to Eiger area

Eiger just picked out with sunlight in the centre

More snow, water and sunset – the last of 2017.

French skiing

Posted on April 12, 2017 by yellowvanmountaineering

A week of ski touring with Tom, from a rather comfortable base in La Bâtie des Vigneux near Briançon (thanks, Hares!). Mostly day tours with one overnight in the Queyras.

Day 1: Resort skiing at Puy-Saint-Vincent (Ecrins). For Dave, first time on new skis. For Jo, first time skiing powder and not just falling over all the time, and first real tree skiing…

Day 2: Avoiding avalanches at Col du Chardonnet, from Pont d’Alpe (near Mont Thabor).

On the ridge, just about managing to stay below the cloud

A summit of sorts

Time to go down

Tracks, and sunshine! Powder at the top, crustier on the flat

Further down

Day 3: Queyras. Pont de Lariane to Refuge Agnel, via Pointe des Sagnes Longues. Leaving the car…

On the plateau above Torrent de Clausis, heading for the skyline to the left of the square rock

It was a long, hot way up! Passing Le Rouchon

Summit ridge

Ready for the descent

On the way down Tom decided we’d follow some interesting-looking tracks heading off to the right. They led us down through this bowl and to the top of a rather steep (for me) gully…

Probably my most interesting ski to date (so glad I learnt how to do short turns in Jan)

Dave making it look not that easy! After this, we traversed down to the main valley and rejoined the track up to the Refuge Agnel.

Day 4: Tour of the Pain de Sucre from Refuge Agnel. Catching up the next group on the Col Vieux

We decided to make a detour to the Rocca Rossa, which is out of sight over the col

Taillante slabs to the left

Tom breaking trail (nobody had been here at least since the snowfall a few days before)

I think the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa are in the distance somewhere

Traversing beneath Pain de Sucre

Tom reaches the ridge

We’re not too far behind

Monte Viso looking splendid

Us on the summit ridge (sans skis)

Wonderful skiing down – I didn’t get a very good picture of the tracks which is a shame as I was rather pleased that Dave couldn’t tell which were his and which were mine

Heading for the Brèche de Ruine

An ascent to the Col d’Asti (third col of the day) followed, then a ski down the Italian side on spring snow, which apparently Dave and I didn’t know what to do with

Col Agnel

The road from Italy (and Viso again)

Skiing back out to the car – a good view of the gully we descended the day before

Day 5: Dave was recovering from his exertions so Tom took me on a wild goose chase up the Clapouse valley from Ailefroide (Ecrins). First challenge was crossing the stream

Our high point, after quite a lot of clambering around in steep forest

The descent was icy too (with a bit of breaking crust), but at least the view was nice

As we were back by lunch, there was time for a saunter up the local protuberance behind La Bâtie des Vigneux

L’Argentière la Bessée

The Durance river

Day 6: Pointe des Marcelettes (Queyras). Setting off from Saint-Véran

Torrent de Curlet

Steep skinning (I only took photos on the flat bits)

Dave managed to lose some binding screws, but employed various means to carry on regardless

Dave and the summit ridge we’d traversed, looking towards Italy

Still powder to be found in places

A final interesting section (which I sideslipped)

Tom taking the more aesthetic route

Day 7: Wet! We got out for a walk round Briançon before it got too bad.

Spring catch-up

Posted on April 12, 2017 by yellowvanmountaineering

A selection of goings-on from the last few months, none of which seemed deserving of its own post! But I have photos and nowhere else to put them, so here they are.

First, our annual New Year trip to Scotland, this time to Mull. Staying right on the shore, we enjoyed spotting otters, sea eagles and the Northern Lights, plus a Corbett, some Grahams, a cave, some pottering and a great sunny/snowy mountaineering day out on Ben More. Unfortunately I’d forgotten to charge my camera battery and didn’t have a spare…

On the track at the start of the way up Dun da Ghaoithe

Beach at Lochbuie

Next, I joined an Eagle Ski Club off-piste skiing course taught by the highly recommended Alison Culshaw, based in Chamonix. It was the coldest week of the winter (-20), but sunny and very profitable from a learning-to-ski-properly point of view.

Tricky snow

Wearing everything

Regular hot drinks definitely required

Grand Montets

Guided day touring from Les Contamines with Jonny Baird and Dave Rudkin

Kick turns with springs…

Dave was feeling left out, so we planned a weekend in Scotland at the end of January to try some Scottish skiing. But we didn’t think there was enough snow, and reverted to Plan B (some efficient bagging of the Lawers Munros on foot). However, the van had other ideas when the alternator packed up on Friday night in Glenogle between Lochearnhead and Killin. Having spent the night there we visited the local garage, who couldn’t fix us and advised that we “enjoy our holiday” and get the AA to tow us home on Sunday. By now having wasted half the day and being stuck in Killin in steadily falling (slightly solid) rain, Lawers was out the question. Instead: brunch, then a walk back up Glenogle and a consolation Graham, Meall Buidhe. We spent all of Sunday getting home…

On the trail of some mad cyclists

At Meall Buidhe summit, following some excellent navigation practice

Not quite sure what we had to look so happy about

Slightly improving weather!

My birthday fell on a Saturday this year, so we invited the local duffers for a walk round the Langdale Pikes (really just an excuse for a get-together).

Stickle Ghyll

Harrison Stickle

We did more talking than walking…

David came to visit us for a weekend to tick off some of our local Marilyns. We’d been up Sharp Haw on the Skipton skyline before, but our route this time (from Flasby) was much nicer, and this time we visited neighbouring Rough Haw too. As that was a short morning’s work, we headed to Ilkley in the afternoon to explore its famous Moor (it was too cold for any baht ‘at nonsense, mind you). On Sunday we visited Brontë country for a slightly grim circuit of Boulsworth Hill, Top Withens and the Walshaw Dean Reservoirs. The mist didn’t lift all day, hence no pictures…

Sharp Haw

Exploring the Cow and Calf, with Ilkley beyond

At the start of March we visited Eleri in St Andrews. Rain and mist confined us a walk along the Fife coast path on Saturday, from which the sea was only visible when we were actually on the beach. On Sunday, we did a pleasant loop from Auchtermuchty around Pitmedden Forest. Highlights were the nice woodland, views of the Firth of Tay, a deer farm and the slightly incongruous hot tub business.

A proper forest…not too many trees

Firth of Tay

Honeymooning on Skye

Posted on November 9, 2016 by yellowvanmountaineering

Wedding photos are still a work in progress, but here are some of our wonderful trip to Skye afterwards. (We’re still not really sure whether this counted as a honeymoon or not and reserve the right to have another one at a later date!)

We spent the first day just pottering around the coast near our cottage. Shore around Tarskavaig Bay

Mountains!

More shore and views across the Cuillin Sound (Rum was in cloud, but we saw plenty of it later!)

Looking towards Elgol

The Cuillin from Tarskavaig headland

Ruined castle near Tokavaig

Loch Ghabhsgabhaig (where we later went for a very cold swim)

View from our cottage south along the west coast of Sleat

Rum making an appearance in the evening

Aird, start of our walk to the Point of Sleat

Sea and sunshine

Beautiful Camas Daraich, which we visited on our return

Reaching the Point, with Eigg beyond

Rum

Everything a beach should be: small, sandy, clear, empty and surrounded by mountains

Skinny dipping pictures not included

Drying off

Sound of Sleat and Mallaig

Picturesque bay near Armadale, with Knoydart beyond

On the way home: Loch Dhughaill and the Black Cuillin

Beach at Achnacloich

Windows and wood and beer 🙂

One of many wonderful sunsets

We couldn’t resist the ridge, of course… An early drive round to Torrin brought us to the base of Blaven at alpenglow time

Sunrise over Loch Slapin and Torrin

Blaven, Clach Glas and Sgurr nan Each

Looking for the path

Allt Aigeinn and Loch Slapin

We scrambled up the north buttress of Sgurr nan Each

The traverse ahead (Clach Glas hiding in front of Blaven)

Red Cuillin

View north from Sgurr nan Each

Scrambling with a view

The main ridge was cloud-capped for most of the day

Loch an Athain

Can’t get enough of this view

Famous hole

Black, red and cloud

Slabby bits near the top of Clach Glas

Picking our way down

The Putting Green

Final chimney of the route – suitably slimy and scrabbly!

Near the top

We ran down just in time to make ourselves presentable before a fantastic evening at Kinloch Lodge

At the start of a walk to Dalavil, looking across the Sound of Sleat to Loch Nevis

Loch a’ Ghlinne

Beautiful trees at the edge of Coille Dalavil

Dave found some sheep to follow to the coast

Still following them

Seaweed

Back through Coille Dalavil

Autumn colours

Knock Bay

Beach just in front of our cottage

We came back a few minutes later for an evening swim and found four dolphins in the bay!

Back on the ridge for our last day: Sgurr nan Gillean and Am Basteir

Marsco and the Red Cuillin

Getting closer

Onto the rock: start of Pinnacle Ridge

Glen Sligachan

Abseiling from the third pinnacle into nowhere

Somwhere on Knight’s Peak?

Descending the upper west ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean (it soon got more interesting…)

Sgurr a’ Fionn Choire and the far side of the ridge

Descending the slabs of the Basteir Tooth

Finding the final abseil

Coire a’ Bhasteir

King’s Chimney

View back to Sgurr a; Fionn Choire, Bealach nan Lice, Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean

Summit of Bruach na Frithe

Amazing

The view southwest towards Loch Scavaig

Sun between layers of cloud, and Glen Brittle

Looking towards Carbost in the setting sun

Southern Cairngorms

Posted on September 3, 2016 by yellowvanmountaineering

August bank holiday backpacking from Linn of Dee. Jo finally gets to see the Cairngorm plateau, free from mist and snow, in all its bouldery, heathery, grassy glory – albeit through a cloud of midges…

From Linn of Dee we began the long walk-in by heading up Glen Lui.

Slightly too far along Glen Lui, in fact, as we initially missed the path over to Glen Quioch. But there was compensation in the shape of a rainbow near Derry Lodge.

A twisted pine in Glen Quoich

Lovely walk through the heather and bilberries along Quoich Water around the base of Beinn a’ Bhuird

Late lunch spot and still a long way from the tops

Finally gaining some real height on Ben Avon, after ascending over Carn Eag Dhubh and Creag an Dail Mhor

Deer grass looking spectacular

View south-east from the slopes of Carn Eas

After catching a shower earlier in the day, the rest passed either side of us

The eastern corries of Beinn a’ Bhuird, from Ben Avon

Boulders, grass and granite tors

Leabaidh an Daimhe Bhuidhe. And a surprising number of walkers and bikers milling around for 5pm on a Friday…

Garbh Coire and the “Bhuird-a-saurus” (not looking quite as much like a stegosaurus’s back from here as it did earlier)

View north towards Glen Avon, from the slopes of Cnap a Chleirich

A stream on the way to Beinn a’ Bhuird’s North Top

Coire nan Clach and Dubh Lochan

Campsite number one: far side of this lochan just above the expanse of Moine Bhealaidh below Beinn a’ Bhuird, with a little breeze and no midges

Pondering the best place for the tent (Beinn a’ Chaorainn and Beinn a’ Chaorainn Beag above Dave’s head)

Moine Bhealaidh bog, heading for Beinn Bhreac (it was further away than we thought)

Back across the bog to the summit of Beinn a’ Chaorainn

We then dropped down to Lairig an Laoigh and took a cross-country route through the heather under Stob Coire Etchachan to pick up the path (the first of the day) near the Hutchison Memorial Hut.

Upper reaches of Derry Burn, with Creagan a Choire Etchachan at the head of the valley

After a stiff climb up Beinn Mheadhoin and back, we took the ascending path south of Loch Etchachan before breaking away towards Derry Cairngorm

Evening ascent of Derry Cairngorm, looking over to Carn a’ Mhaim and Cairn Toul

Campsite number two, high on the path from Loch Etchachan to Ben Macdui. Unlike the first, this one was close to several other campers (although we couldn’t actually see any), completely windless and plagued with midges.

In the morning we made a quick getaway onto the plateau for breakfast (there were still midges, but they took longer to find us). We were also high enough to be above the early morning mist.

After visiting Ben Macdui (for the second time in six months, but in very different conditions), we descended to the south, towards the enticing-looking ridge of Carn a’ Mhaim

The ridge was indeed very nice, and the atmospheric views of the Lairig Ghru and the Cairn Toul/Braeriach range were stunning, but we found that we couldn’t walk fast enough to escape the midges

Over Carn a’ Mahim and heading for Derry Lodge

Across Luibeg Burn and a final view of the hills before a long (but speedy) walk-out in search of respite. Next time really must remember the anti-midge kit.

Silvretta Tour

Posted on July 24, 2016 by yellowvanmountaineering

So back in March, we headed to the Austrian Alps to do some skiing.

After a surprisingly relaxing and straightforward drive across Europe, we started the few days of resort skiing with the Ischgl lift system. It was good to get back on the skis, even if we did enthusiastically make an early (read icy) descent of a ski-routen (signed, unpisted and full of lumps). A quick trip over to Samnaun in Switzerland and trying to get an idea of the route and peaks around made for a great day out in good weather – the snow was in better condition than expected, with very little of it melting out.

A further couple of days in resort saw us ski `The White Ring’ connecting Lech, Zürs, Zug and Oberlech, and a day skiing from St Anton, where Jo broke the adjustment thread on her binding. Having fudged it and skied nervously for the rest of the day, attempts to replicate the failure at the apartment where futile, so we saw no use in attempting to show the hire shop. The threat of super gluing the whole binding seemed to be enough and it never troubled her again, but we vowed to buy our own skis as soon as possible.

After these fantastic few days of finding our legs, we then set off on the tour, but only after a half day skiing in Ischgl again, culminating in an attempt to ski off the top to the hut, which was quickly abandoned in the rather Scottish conditions (visibility equivalent to ski length, wind pushes you uphill). The skin up the track was a great alternative that day.

What followed was 4 days of skiing, skiing, booting, waiting behind guided groups (we were particularly unlucky), navigation stresses and successes, sunshine, fresh powder (fallen overnight) and the summits of the Breite Krone, Hinter Jamspitz, Dreilanderspitz and Piz Buin. The huts were great, the first, Heidelberger hütte had private 4 bed rooms and hot water, Jamtalhütte had no slippers, hot dining rooms and waitresses that kept closing windows and the Weissbadner hütte had amazingly enthusiastic staff and a bunk room of disgruntled skiers who forgot the clocks had changed.

So after the amazing skiing we’d managed, it was with regret that we skidded down the icy path (high winds prevented a higher route out), then had a long skate across a frozen lake followed by an even longer skate along (meant to be down…) the valley to Galtur, where the free ski bus took us back to the car.